It may have been a simple case of rust, but one thing was clear about Robert Griffin III’s comeback game against the Eagles: His passing mechanics were off.

Considering Griffin’s fundamentals were lauded as smooth and strong as a rookie, his troubles stood out Monday night. He didn’t step into many of his throws, causing his accuracy and velocity to suffer, and made the QB no-no of throwing off his backfoot on several occasions.

Robert Griffin III may have been favoring his reconstructed knee, but he still threw for 329 yards against the Eagles. (AP Photo)

ESPN quarterback analyst Ron Jaworski, in an analysis of RG3’s problems on "NFL Matchup," thought Griffin favored his reconstructed right knee, causing his mechanics to be flawed.

Breaking down one of Griffin’s two interceptions—he threw only five picks in 15 regular-season games in 2012—Jaworski said via ProFootballTalk, “He never gets his weight on the back foot. As this ball comes out, it’s going to lack energy. His front foot, which is where your weight should transfer to, actually pulls back. So you’re losing the body momentum, the ability to drive the ball with the hip snap, to get the ball to the outside.”

ESPN reported that Griffin had 11 off-target passes against the Eagles, which was more than he had in any game last season. Of course, without any preseason game action, it wasn’t fair to expect Griffin to laser-beam throws to receivers only eight months after major knee surgery. He threw better as the game went on and finished 30-of-49 for 329 yards and two TDs.

“He had a very serious injury,” Jaworski said. “He is protecting that right leg. I get it, I understand it. But you’ve got to be able to make these throws. And I’m sure in three or four weeks, he will be making these throws. But right now, his mechanics, in throwing the football, those deep throws down the field where mechanics are critical, he is struggling.”

The key for the Redskins is to let him get comfortable and build confidence in his knee. After averaging eight runs per game last season, Griffin had five in the opener—and the coaches need to keep it in that area Sunday at Green Bay and beyond. Don't get greedy.